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Bush administration rallies support from world leaders

AM Archive - Thursday, 20 September , 2001 00:00:00

Reporter: Michael Carey, John Shovelan

LINDA MOTTRAM: As the search for bodies goes on in the twisted mess of the World Trade Center, America is also trying to stem the economic damage caused by last weeks attacks. While its politicians and military leaders are preparing for retaliation.

The Bush administration is hosting a stream of foreign dignitaries, Jacques Chirac of France, Russia's Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, Britain's Tony Blair is on his way and importantly today, Megawati Sukarnoputri, the President of the world's largest Muslim nation, Indonesia.

Michael Carey's report begins with President George W Bush speaking after his meeting with President Megawati.

GEORGE W BUSH: The war against terrorism, is not a war against Muslims, nor is it a war against Arabs, it's a war against evil people who conduct crimes against innocent people.

MICHAEL CAREY: Despite those declarations, many leaders in largely Muslim nations, are watching the mood at home carefully. The Indonesian President condemned the attacks in a statement last week, but declined to elaborate in public comments at the White House.

[INTERPRETER FOR MEGAWATI SUKARNOPUTRI]:

I immediately issued a statement which strongly condemns these attacks, which were very inhumane and afterwards I sent a letter to President Bush expressing my condolences.

MICHAEL CAREY: The cause of possible nervousness for leaders like Megawati Sukarnoputri, is the unanswered question of how broad the campaign under consideration at the Pentagon is, and the potential for a popular backlash in predominantly Islamic states. The administration says it is aware of sensitivities, the President says he's comfortable with the fact that some nations will only aid the US effort covertly.

Nonetheless, after all the focus on Saudi exiler Osama bin Laden so far, the White House is now stressing a wide interpretation of what a war against terrorism might mean, taking in states not just cells.

GEORGE W BUSH: Anybody who harbours terrorists needs to fear the United States and the rest of the free world. Anybody who houses a terrorist, encourages terrorism will be held accountable.

MICHAEL CAREY: Attorney General John Ashcroft is even more explicit. At the Pentagon this morning, he said the evidence was strong that governments have been involved in backing extremist groups and must answer for their actions.

JOHN ASHCROFT: It's pretty clear that the networks that conduct these kinds of events are harboured and supported, sustained, protected by a variety of foreign governments.

Well there are sign of a military build up by the United States this morning. War planes and aircraft carriers are on the move in the strongest sign yet of a looming American military response to last weeks terror attacks in the US.

I asked our Washington correspondent John Shovelan, exactly what military hardware was on the move and where it's going?

JOHN SHOVELAN: Well we understand that F15 and F16 fighter jets, we're told dozens are on the move towards the Persian Gulf. Apparently the theory here is, that they will move into bases in the Persian Gulf which will free up an aircraft carrier which is currently being used to support planes flying over the 'no fly' zone in Iraq.

On top of that today, a major battle group, the Theodore Roosevelt, the US Theodore Roosevelt moved out of Virginia. It was scheduled to leave today, it was initially scheduled to got out on a routine exercise. That's no longer the case. Nobody's saying exactly where it's going, all we do know, is that it's heading towards the Middle East.

So, there have been a number of steps taken today in conventional, in what would seem that there is a conventional military build up in terms of America preparing for some sort of response.

LINDA MOTTRAM: Right, but we don't have any more detail, nothing being telegraphed about what that response will be?

JOHN SHOVELAN: No, and indeed this is one of several types of response. The continued message from the US Government is, that this is not going to be just a conventional war. There is a reference to the financing of terrorist groups, there's a reference to the states that support them, there's a reference to intelligence. There's lots of different ways this war is going to be fought and some of it, and it seems a large part of it, will in fact be covert.

LINDA MOTTRAM: And there have been a stream of foreign dignitaries of course coming through the White House. Pakistan has also reaffirmed its support for the US. Is the White House happy with the building of this international coalition?

JOHN SHOVELAN: Well today, the first person who saw President Bush was the Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri. She met with the President and the little that we actually heard from her suggested that there was at least rhetorical support. She certainly gave no specific assurance that Indonesia would support any coalition. But she did condemn the actual, the atrocities.